Random useless tidbits

There have been a few job postings presented recently where I have paused, "ooohhh!"-ed, had Ezra ask if that was a good "ooohhh!" or a bad "ooohhh!", flagged the email and then returned a day later to delete the email with the posting.

I had an internal tough love with myself yesterday: am I not pursuing these because I'm scared and have turned rather soft at home with not having to juggle work and home? or am I not pursuing them because it doesn't yet feel like good timing? 

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's a tidgy bit of fear with the strong gut feeling that, no, the timing isn't right or even close to right quite yet.

I want another summer with the kids--just them and me. I don't yet want to worry about interviewing and finding a babysitter with availability for random daytime and possible evening hours. I don't yet want to worry about before and after school care at two different schools. I don't need to work right now, so why not take a hot minute?

So I delete the job postings and hope/trust that opportunities present themselves when I'm ready. The good thing about living where we are now, is that there are a greater number of libraries and library districts. In Old Town, not so much. 

We shall see.

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Ezra has been wearing his AFOs (aka "leg supporters") for almost two months now and has adjusted marvelously. I have not written about them here, but they are intended--along with a round of PT that he completed--to help correct his toe walking.

Background: Ezra started toe walking around four years old--kind of out of the blue. I thought it was due to creaky hardwood floors or even cold floors. But it continued and progressed and soon he was even doing it in his shoes. A visit to his pediatrician this past fall and then a pediatric neurologist and an MRI and blood draws ruled out some intimidating things (which I frankly tried to not think about the what-ifs--why get het up so soon) and so AFOs and physical therapy were prescribed.

I ordered him a whole new batch of socks and three new pairs of shoes--Crocs to wear in the house, slip-ons and tennis shoes--that would be large enough and comfy enough to accommodate the AFO gear. It took twelve pairs from Amazon before I figured out the size and style that would work best. 

Ezra has been a champ about the entire process. He eased into wearing them. The school secretary helped him out in the early days at school as he was taking them off and on to put on his boots (they wouldn't fit in his boots) for recess. He now wears them about 12 hours a day and when he takes them off is walking flat-footed about 50% of the time. I'm glad they're working.

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I have gotten myself off the venti coffees and now only have an iced tea or two during the day. And iced tea with Splenda, no less. Not even with that tasty Classic syrup Starbucks uses.

It feels like a good change. I don't miss it, I don't feel exhausted and I sure as hell hope the lack of animal fat and sugar is making my pants happier.

I also have been doing some classes at the Y. Not only for Happier Pants but also to meet people. Slow and steady, I guess.

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I need a pedicure.

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We are taking a family vacation this summer as I fiiiiinally feel ready to travel with the small fries. I have confidence that it won't be a shitstorm of potty training and special food needs and missed naps because we don't do those things anymore. Holla! They are so excited and, oh, they love the beach and ocean so much.

Of course, Ezra's first question was, "Will Taco come with us? Won't she be lonely if she stays at home?" Taco is going to a kitty hotel and is going to be a-okay, buddy.

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A picture that always makes me laugh:

Start to finish: bedrooms, bathrooms and office/loft

This house tour is starting to feel kind of ridiculous so I'm going to wrap this party up and and just do all of the second floor at once. 


Office/loft:

Details:

• The Sherwin-Williams wall color is a continuation of the hallway and stairwell color from downstairs--Windfresh White.
• Desk and chair and printer stand: IKEA
• Clock: Target
• Chairs: Ballard Designs
• Book care: Land of Nod
• Pillows: Target
• Drapes and hardware: Target
• Puppet theater: Amazon
• Nightly entertainment: Iris

I recently ordered these organizational pieces (two letter bins + two corkboards) to hang on the wall that the clock is on. This family generates a mega crapton of paper and I don't cope well with piles.

Master bathroom:

Details:

• The wall color is Rain.
• Handyman Steve hung the mirror and added the vanity hardware. The electrician swapped out the lights and the plumber swapped out the faucets and shower hardware. Tub faucets and drains are trickier to find so I am still working on that.
• Originally, T hung a towel bar underneath the wall prints--which you can see in that awesome picture of what the bathroom looked like the day we moved in--but I thought it was ugly so I removed it and patched and painted the spot. Instead I put a hook on the back of the door and just hang my towel there.
• Mirror: Restoration Hardware 
• Vanity light: Lowe's
• Faucets: Lowe's
• Vanity pulls: Amazon
• Wall shelf and small bowls: Target
• Curtain rod and cafe curtain: Target
• Prints: IKEA
• Cut metal letters: Etsy

Kids' bathroom:

Details:

• The wall color is Kilim Beige--same as in the dining room and laundry room.
• Like in the master bathroom, we had the mirrors, lights, and faucets changed. Handyman Steve also added the vanity hardware and hung the branch towel hooks.
• Mirror: Lowe's
• Vanity light: Lowe's 
• Faucet: Lowe's
• Branch hooks: Amazon
• Shower curtain and towels: West Elm
• Bird canvases: Land of Nod

Ezra's bedroom:

Details:

• The wall color is Rainwashed.
• The bed and book cover wall prints and the very lean-y stuffed lion are from our old house.
• Rocket ship canvases: Target
• Rug: Rugs USA
• Desk chair, book shelf and desk: Land of Nod
• Little red table to act as shrine to Legos: Target
• Floor cushion: Amazon
• Floor lamp: Target
• Curtain hardware: Target
• Drapes: Pier One

Ezra's closet is a walk-in, so his dresser and the bulk of his toys are in there.

Iris' bedroom:

Details:

• The wall color is White Beet.
• The tiny desk and chair as well as the vintage travel poster prints are from our old house. I took the ones that had more pink in them for Iris' room in this house while the others are in the powder room downstairs.
• Bookshelf: Land of Nod
• Lamp: Target
• Rug: Target
• Pouf: Amazon
• Bed: IKEA
• Drapes and hardware: Target

Iris' closet is a reach-in closet, so we had the existing wire shelving removed and instead had dresser drawers installed along with four rods for hanging clothes. 

If anything in the house were different, I do wish the kids' rooms were a bit bigger--but we've figured out how to store their toys (in their closets + baskets in the family room + using the intended linen closet as their main toy spot--the linens I just then put in the guest bedroom walk-in closet) and books and clothes so it's fine.

Guest bedroom:

(I guess no progress pics here. The ugly stepchild of bedrooms?)

Details: 

• The wall color is one shade darker than Ezra's room. It is Quietude.
• The wall hangings are from the family room in our old house
• Bed and nightstands: IKEA
• Lamps: Home Decorators
• Rug: Target
• Chair: World Market
• Drapes and hardware: Target

Our bedroom:

Details:

• The wall color is Tradewind which is one shade darker than the bathroom.
• Rug: Amazon
• Chair: World Market
• Ottoman: Target
• Side table: Target
• Lamp: Target
• Bed: Target
• Nightstands: Overstock
• Drapes and hardware: Target
• Corner tv stand: Ballard Designs
• (my landy Target is featuring prominently here)

So there you have it, folks. The house. 

Blathering VLOG

It is off to Seattle in a few weeks so here is my ridiculous yammering.

Start to finish: family room and kitchen and laundry room

Continuing along the house tour! 

(I can't guarantee that this is more interesting than a tour of Alcatraz.) 

With our floorplan, the builder included:

• Granite countertops and fireplace surround
• The large island
• The fireplace
• Hardwood floors in the kitchen and pantry and ceramic tile in the back entryway/laundry room

We chose:

• So the kitchen is kind of where we (I) took no prisoners. While the kitchen in Old House had lots of things going for it--12' ceilings! great windows! built in breakfast nook!--it also had super sad oak cabinets and gray ceramic tile floor (with intentionally colored black grout!) and brown laminate countertops. I did what I could, but it consistently bummed me out. So when we knew we were moving, a better kitchen became my Thing. We chose the best kitchen the builder offered. That gave us cabinets to the ceiling and in more finish options (we went with a bright white), the stone and tile in the stove area and on the wall between the family room and all of the appliances. It was worth it to us as I love it.
• To add the pulls and hardware to the cabinets. Could T have done it himself? Yes. Would he want to? No. Did I want to minimize whining? Yes.
• To add transoms above the pantry door and the laundry room door.
• To add the built-in cubbies in the laundry room.
• To add four additional canned/recessed lights in the family room.
• To make the light above the family room outfitted to work for a ceiling fan.
• After we closed, the electricians replaced the four hanging lights in the kitchen, one light in the pantry, two lights in the laundry room and the one in the family room.
• T replaced the kitchen faucet with one we picked out.
• Handyman Steve assembled and hung the laundry cabinets above the washer and dryer.
• The Sherwin-Williams wall colors are Sleepy Blue in the kitchen and family room and Kilim Beige in the laundry room.

Stuff:

• Kitchen pendants over the island and sink: Horchow
• Kitchen faucet: Amazon
• Kitchen table pendant light: Shades of Light
• Kitchen table and chairs: Art Van
• Kitchen rug: RugsUSA
• Kitchen drapes over sliding glass door: WestElm
• Kitchen valance: Potterybarn
• Family room rug: RugsUSA
• Entertainment center: Restoration Hardware
• Family room table lamps: Target
• Family room floor lamp: Potterybarn
• Console table: Potterybarn
• Couch: WestElm
• Drapes: Crate & Barrel
• Leather recliner: Potterybarn
• Laundry room cabinets and wall hangings: Home Decorators
• Laundry room baskets: Target
• E and I initials: Urban Outfitters
• Cubbie hooks: Lowe's

These two rooms get so much light and I love it. It feels bright yet also cozy. I'm happy with how they turned out. 

Start to finish: Living room and powder room

House tour moving along to the living room and powder room.

With our floorplan, the builder included:

• Hardwood floors in the entryway, hallway and powder room

We chose:

• Again--the wider baseboards and crown moulding
• To upgrade to a box newel on the stairs and have all of the stair woodwork painted white.
• To upgrade to Craftsman style doors throughout the house and all oiled rubbed bronze hardware on the doors.
• To have a pedestal sink added in the powder room. I think the standard was a wall attached vanity.
• After we closed, I had the builder grade mirror in the powder room removed by a glass company and then had a handyman (my man, Steve) hung the new one.
• Plumbers came through and replaced the nickel faucets with the the one pictured. They are the same in all of the bathrooms. 
• Handyman Steve also changed out the nickel flush handle with bronze ones for me.
• The electricians removed the vanity light fixture for the one (poorly) pictured. They also hung two new hallway lights outside of the powder room.
• The Sherwin-Williams wall colors are Languid Blue in the living room and Refuge in the powder room. For the hallway, stairs and then the upstairs loft/office, I chose Windfresh White. It is a warm beige but not too "fleshy" or tan.

Stuff:

• Drape hardware: Target
• Drapes: Potterybarn
• Gold living room chairs, table and table lamp: our previous home
• Wall sconces: Potterybarn
• Bookshelf: Pier1
• Floor lamp: Target
• Chair: Target
• Throw: IKEA
• Hallway lights: Lighting Direct
• Vanity light: Shades of Light
• Faucet and toilet hardware: Lowe's
• Wall hangings: our previous home
• Toilet paper basket: Potterybarn

The living room is still a little bit of a work in progress. The one and only thing that broke in the move was a giant--maybe 5x7--Walasse Ting print. It's huge and colorful and perfect for that giant, blue nakey wall. I have yet to file the claim paperwork with the relocation company to have it repaired...now I'm thinking back and hope my 90 day window hasn't closed. Hrmmm.

Anyway, I want to hang that print on the wall and I'd love a rug to pull the living room seating together and break up some of the sea of beige carpet. Then I might call it good.